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41
Past Workshop Prompts / Prompt 2: Anger, An Acrostic Poem
« Last post by Benjamin Orellana Jr. on 12/24/2022 at 02:09 »
Prompt:  Feel the Heat

Context:  1966-1967:  Dienne Orellana, sister to Benji Orellana, has been going through a rough second year of being bullied.  Benji, who is the sort to always know what's going on with his sister, finally gets the go ahead to act.

Relevant threads:  Help Me, Help You and Carry You



ALLOWANCE I give for my sister with marks on her face.  Space for my sister whose tears left not a trace.  Patience for my sister who keeps telling me no.  'Don’t do', says my sister.  'Back off, keep away.  I hate them and I hate you if you step in for the save.'  'I don’t need your help,' cries my sister.  'You’re a burden and a sin.  I’m my own person, so piss off yet again.'

NEVER did I trust that she’d be fine on her own.  I saw him with her and thought, there we go.  It’s patience I’ve got, to watch from afar.  Crack knuckles, wage war, plot revenge for a start.  But hold back, my mind says.  Let her figure it out.  Trust my sister to know, to change.  To trust.  Let me in, tell the truth, believe in family and in what we can do. 

It's GOOD that she’s bruised.  Or who else would have known?  Though she’s limping, she’s smiling, my sister since two.  I’m done, she grins, blood splitting her lip.  Your turn, dear brother.  The bar’s high now, and far.  Let loose your fury to beat one and all.  Aye, little sister, heal well now and rest.  I’ve got your back and I’ve got rage to test.  So fall… fall… blessed revenge.  There’s fun to be had.  No fear.  Only friends.

ENVY is a dangerous wrong.  Hatred.  Jealousy.  All which is weak, made them feel strong.  They’re entitled to this joy, of course, with a toy.  A sister who stayed silent.  A brother who chose love over pride.  Who’d rather speak in words then let violence out for a ride.  Excited, I am, for this bit of game.  Run, little worms; I’m mad for a change.  Need to vent some stress in all its turns.  I’d rather know just what they thought, to think they could scratch, bite, and claw.  Why was my sister’s mind considered a flaw?  She was right, by the way, about these wriggling bugs.  Stupid, the lot of them.  Idiots and fools.  Time to play pool, and break.

RUIN them, is the command.  Run down the prey.  Let loose from the shadows, and make them finally pay.  But I know nothing, see no one, hear nought a cry.  Because fury is a tell:  that which puts in guilt for a lie.  So I choose calm, not temper.  Still blood, chilled to frost.  Unknown in blame, unlinked, unnamed.  I choose to let an example be made, to regain.  My sister, who felt lost, are you now okay?
42
Past Workshop Prompts / Re: [PROMPT 1] 7 West Clyde St.
« Last post by Dylan Duckheart on 12/22/2022 at 22:23 »
Ben!!

I found this piece to be such an unexpected and interesting interpretation of the prompt. It's deeply sad, but also somewhat hopeful in that Finn is still having a dinner with his chosen family. I also felt the emotions that Finn was experiencing- especially when his father's letter came.

I was struck by the notion of chosen family vs assigned family. The restaurant was becoming like a family for Finn.
43
Past Workshop Prompts / Re: [PROMPT 1] 7 West Clyde St.
« Last post by Dienne Orellana on 12/22/2022 at 21:41 »
Hi Ben!

I love this interpretation of the prompt.  A family dinner, or really, a lack of one!  It stirred my emotions of Finn heading out for dinner on his own, yet again.

I'd have loved a little more background at the beginning, though?  Just to get a feel for if Finn was excited for his parents to be home, or if he was anticipating them declining again, etc.  Was he preparing to clean up after working on the motorcycle for dinner?  Something like that.

Thanks for the read!
-Nikki
44
Past Workshop Prompts / [PROMPT 1] 7 West Clyde St.
« Last post by Finn McLaughlin on 12/22/2022 at 05:51 »
McLaughlin House
Helensburgh, Scotland
4:45 PM

Finn shook his wet hands hard before pulling out a small rag and wiping the motor oil off his hands. The broad smile on his face didn't betray that the motorcycle was not, technically, working. Either way, he'd had a good day. If he used magic, the project would be over tonight, but what would he actually learn? Plus, despite the fact he was a danger to society with a wrench, he was having a blast.

Giving the family dog a quick scratch behind the ears, Finn saw an owl waiting at the window. A slight pit drew in his stomach, deep, but frustratingly familiar. Standard barn owl from the ministry. Namely, his mother's office. Opening the window, Finn took the offered letter mutely.

Dear Finn,

Hon, I'm so sorry, I won't be home for dinner tonight, something came up at work and I won't be home until very late. There's some money in the drawer to get a carry-out.

I'm so sorry, we'll all have dinner tomorrow night.

Love always,
Mum


Well, that wasn't great. Finn and his family hadn't had an actual night together since... Well, since before he'd left for school last year. Last. Year. Hell, he'd only seen his parents, both individually and together, for less than 24 hours since he'd grabbed a portkey from the train station. Not that it was their fault, they were both incredibly busy.

Occasionally too busy for a son.

But, Finn thought with a much tighter grin than he'd had a moment ago, his dad was still coming home. Boys nights were fun too. His dad had recently gone on a work trip and gotten Finn a jersey from the Austrian National Team, and Finn was excited to learn about the rest of his tri-...

A second owl.

Finn-

Stuck at the office. Tell mom I'm sorry, I promise I'll see you both this weekend. Maybe we'll hike over by Loch Lamond?

Love you,
Da


And, once again, Finn McLaughlin was on his own.

Grabbing his rather old boots, the ones that filled with water when it rained and had climbed a hundred mountains and chased a hundred unicorns, Finn headed out the door to the chippy.

Lidos, at 7 West Clyde Street in Helensburgh, was arguably the most stable thing in Finn's life. It was never empty, always warm when it was snowing, always dry in the rain. Always there with hot food, a warm(ish) welcome, and a place where he wasn't alone.

"Two piece, mate, extra salt and vinegar on the chips. Oh, and an Irn Bru, please."

The man in the grease stained apron looked at Finn for a moment. "You again? You ever get sick of eating the same thing?"

"Guess not."

A lot of people would consider Finn's situation lonely. He argued that he liked to keep his own counsel, was independent, and didn't like being told what to do. But either way, the silence was getting rather loud in his home.

And, truth be told, he was getting pretty lonely.
45
Past Workshop Prompts / Re: Prompt 1: Secret Ingredient
« Last post by Dylan Duckheart on 12/21/2022 at 22:21 »
Hi Nikki!

I loved this piece! It gives readers a glimpse into the family life of two characters that we all adore. I love how it captures an ordinary family moment, and all the dynamics. The dialogue was pithy, and so perfectly captures each character.

The only thing that would have improved the story would have been explaining who Judi and Ninon were, just to ensure that the reader has the full picture.
46
Past Workshop Prompts / Prompt 1: Secret Ingredient
« Last post by Benjamin Orellana Jr. on 12/21/2022 at 20:57 »
An Orellana birthday dinner ...


"BENJI.  Get your ass over here now and help me."

"Mum, you've gotta say please!"

In a millisecond, Dienne gave her brother a look that said I'm not attending your funeral.

A wooden spoon came flying over the couch Benji sat on.  He ducked.  The tomato based sauce splattered all over; the spoon landed in a skid mark atop the living room table.

"I was just joking!"

A stream of French came from the kitchen which was in no way filtered by their mother who leaned over the kitchen island beckoning her son with flashing green eyes.

"Mum," Benji tsked, fetching the spoon and jumping over the couch to go to her.  "You really shouldn't swear in front of your kids like that."

The shorter blonde woman stood on her tippy toes to wrap an arm around her teenager son, putting him in a headlock.  Oh, Ninon, those arms of yours could rival a blacksmiths.  "Keep up that mouth, my son," Ninon hissed, messing up Benji's curly hair.  "And I'll pour salt onto your dinner."

"You realize that--urgh--" he tugged at her arm, dragged into the tiled kitchen, straining for the show rather than in any actual pain.  "--will make it taste better, right?"

"Wow, he not only got taller but he learned disrespect!  I'll pour hot sauce instead.  Get you to curb your tongue."

"Why not do lemon?"  Dienne offered blandly, perched in one of the armchairs curled up with a book.

"I hate lemon!"  Came Judi's voice from the stairs.

Dienne rolled her eyes.  "It's for Benji, Judi!  Context clues!"

"I don't care, I hate it!"  Judi called back.

Ninon stepped with her son to the sink, letting him drop the dirty spoon into it, then nudged him towards the stove to man the pot simmering there.  She released her hold on him and propped her hands on her hips.

"Check it."  She commanded.

Benji ruffled his flattened hair and grinned at her, then obediently snagged a new spoon and dipped it into the sauce.

"More salt?"  He offered mischievously.

She whacked him in the stomach with the back of her hand.  He tasted again.

"You followed Abuela's recipe?"  Benji asked.

"To the letter.  Does it taste right?"

"Hmm.  It's missing something...  Dienne, did Tia Sara send over the spices from that special market Abuela likes?"

Dienne hummed from the living room.  "It's the brown package behind the sage."

Ninon fetched it and Benji sprinkled the mixed herbs into the sauce, stirring.  Another taste and he smirked at his mother.  "Abuela always uses this as her special ingredient.  She thinks we don't know, but we do."

"You mean, you and Tia Sara know," Dienne corrected him.

Ninon tasted the sauce, now exactly like the familiar meal of the Orellana matriarch, her husband's mother.  She glared at her smug looking son.

"Alright, smart ass. Finish this for me and the gazpacho.  I still have to finish the crema catalana before your father gets home.  Dienne!  Have you wrapped the presents?"

A thumbs up rose from above the thick book.

"Judi!  Come set the table!"

A groan issued from the room at the top of the stairs.
47
Freestyle Roleplaying / Re: spellbound | farwick AU
« Last post by Eloise Warwick on 12/07/2022 at 03:53 »
Eloise stood with the assistance of the other girl and let out a relieved chuckle when she confirmed that not everyone in Sandbreak was evil.

“Well, that was a silly question because you’re clearly not like them.”

She didn’t realize how long they were holding hands until the other girl let go. Thankfully, her hair covered most of the pink that crept into her cheeks. Brushing the dirt off the cover of her sketchbook, Eloise nodded as she gave her name— Gia. It was pretty like her and was simple enough that Elo would certainly not forget it.

Eloise was secretly thankful Gia asked where she was from instead of assuming. If she was called British one more time, she might have to scream. She nearly had a heart attack the first time that happened. Thankfully, she was able to contain the visceral reaction and was able to politely correct the person.

“Ireland. A small town called Clifden if we want to be specific,” she shared. Not that anyone here would have any idea where that was or have ever even heard of it in the first place. From her (albeit limited) experience, most people just knew of Dublin, maybe another county name, but certainly never Clifden.

“You weren’t catching the bus, were you?”

Eloise shook her head.

“Ah, thankfully no. Made that mistake once and decided that I’d rather walk instead.” Being trapped with the very same people who enjoyed the little display that just happened in the hall was not something she wanted to subject herself to any longer than she needed. Plus, it wasn’t a terribly far walk home. She walked everywhere back home, so it wasn’t that much of a change for her.

Eloise’s brows furrowed in concern as she realized that Gia very well could have needed to catch the bus herself.

“You don’t take the bus, do you? I’d feel terrible if you missed it because of me.”
48
Past Workshop Prompts / [PROMPT 1] Family Meals
« Last post by Clinton Litchfield on 11/30/2022 at 22:34 »
Summer Workshop Prompt #1
Family Meals

With this prompt, we're giving you the chance to showcase your character's family...for better or for worse!



Your Task

Write a piece about a family gathering. It might be a typical Friday night dinner, a large family reunion, a picnic with siblings, a visit to extended family overseas. It doesn't matter what the gathering is or how many family members are involved, so have a think about what your character's family looks like/what their family dynamic is. If you want an extra challenge, try to pick an element to their familial background you may not have explored in your writing before! We're actively encouraging family member NPCs in this thread, so feel free to drag all those background characters up from the depths of your mind where they've been lurking and give them a chance to shine in this prompt!

As always with our workshops, there are no rules on word counts, tenses, person, general format etc., as long as you adhere to our site rules and site rating! Please also remember to get powerplay permissions from other players if you choose to showcase a character's family members who are also currently played characters on site.
 


How do I start?
three simple steps

1. Start a new thread in the Summer Workshop forum. It should be called
Prompt 1: Title of Your Piece
2. Write your piece, following the prompt above.
3. Review the pieces of others (see How To Workshop).


All credit to DIENNE ORELLANA for this prompt!
49
Past Workshop Prompts / [PROMPT 2] Feel The Heat
« Last post by Clinton Litchfield on 11/30/2022 at 22:26 »
Summer Workshop Prompt #2
Feel The Heat

With this prompt, we're bringing you the opportunity to dig deep (or maybe not so deep, depending on your character...) and find something that really makes your character tick.



Your Task

Write a piece involving anger, irritation, frustration...all those hot emotions that arise when you throw a little spice into the mix. This prompt will come more naturally to some characters than others, so if you want an extra challenge, try to write this prompt with a character who doesn't usually lose their head. Everyone's got a boiling point, so what is that for your character? Pick a situation and then focus on your character's thoughts and emotions, as well as the way they physically react to the situation. This is a great opportunity to put your character in a difficult scenario (because who doesn't like to make their characters uncomfortable?!) and see how they handle it.

As always with our workshops, there are no rules on word counts, tenses, person, general format etc., as long as you adhere to our site rules and site rating!
 


How do I start?
three simple steps

1. Start a new thread in the Summer Workshop forum. It should be called
Prompt 2: Title of Your Piece
2. Write your piece, following the prompt above.
3. Review the pieces of others (see How To Workshop).


All credit to DIENNE ORELLANA for this prompt!
50
Freestyle Roleplaying / Re: spellbound | farwick AU
« Last post by Gia Fuentes on 10/13/2022 at 02:50 »
Gia bit her lip at the girl’s words. She'd been there, as the new girl, even if they hadn't tormented her for nearly as long. Mostly though, it was the accent that surprised Gia. It shouldn’t have, probably; she’d heard people say the new girl was from ‘England or Ireland or somewhere over there’. Gia never paid much attention to what people said though; always what they did.

Still, the other girl’s little smile had Gia smiling herself, lips curving easily.

“Not everyone,” Gia reassured, straightening and pulling the girl up with her.

But kind of, she didn’t want to say. It was true that not everyone was that horrible in Sandbreak. But it was a small, seaside town in Virginia. It was a lot of old, intertwined families where kids all grew up together and married each other, and on and on. Outsiders and different wasn’t always welcome.

Something that, as the daughter of Cuban immigrants, Gia had found out pretty fast.

She scanned the girl over, making sure everything was actually in order, before remembering she should let go of her hand. Dropping it quickly, Gia busied herself with pulling the strap of her green Jansport backpack tighter around her shoulder. She could faintly hear the words of Foreigner’s “Juke Box Hero” playing around her neck. “Don’t mention it.”

"Anyway, I'm Eloise. I just moved here this summer."

Now Gia’s smile pulled fuller, and she nodded a little, because she knew that, but didn’t want to sound weird. “Gia.”

“Where from?” So she settled on sounding dumb instead. Or at least, Gia felt dumb, and like she should know which country it was by the accent alone.

The halls were starting to empty out, and Gia glanced back the way she had come. “Uh,” Gia looked at her wristwatch before meeting Eloise's gaze again, eyebrows arching slightly. “You weren’t catching the bus, were you?”

Because it was definitely gone already.
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